Death & Dying Cemetery Tour: It's the one time of the year when graveyards are fun. Guides from Historic Bethlehem dressed in period clothing lead a one hour and 15 minute tour through the 1741 Gemeinhaus, a National Historic Landmark and the oldest standing building in the city. See an original 18th century dead tray, a slab where early settlers' bodies once laid in wait for burial. The tour continues through God's Acre, Bethlehem's oldest cemetery, where you'll hear the stories of the men and women who once lived in Bethlehem. Tours are at 4 and 5:30 p.m. through Sunday. Tickets: $15; $8, ages 6-12; free, ages 5 and under. Meet at Moravian Museum, 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem, 800-360-TOUR. historicbethlehem.org.

Advertisement

Historic Haunts of Downtown Bethlehem: Candelight guided walking tour through Historic Bethlehem takes you to 12 haunting locations, where you'll learn about 25 mysterious spirits and travel through 273 years of history. Hear stories about the soldiers who continue to guard their old army hospital, the spirits from the golden age of Steel in Bethlehem and the present-day mysteries of the Moravian Book Shop, the tour sponsor. Special midnight tours (meet at 11:45 p.m.) are offered Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Tours begin at 6 and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30, and also run every 15 minutes beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Tickets: $13; $10, ages 12 and under. Meet sat Moravian Book Shop, 428 Main St., Bethlehem, 610-866-5481. http://www.moravianbookshop.com.

2. Halloween Haunt: "Playtime is Over," says the advertising for Dorney Park's annual frightfest, which boasts 11 haunted attractions, along with rides. New attractions include the Chamber of Horrors Wax Museum, the CarnEVIL with its crazy clowns and the Skeleton Crew, a Cirque-style spectacle. Other attractions have names like Bloodshed, Head Hunters, Desolation, Corn Stalkers, Age of Darkness and the Mansion House Hotel. The final weekend fetures Lehigh Valley Appreciation Days, in which residents of Lehigh, Berks, Monroe, Carbon and Northampton counties can present their ID at the ticket booth to purchase up to four tickets at $27 each. The Haunt is open 6 p.m.-midnight Oct. 31 and 11 a.m.-midnight Nov. 1. Dorney Park, 3830 Dorney Park Road, South Whitehall Township, 610-395-2000. http://www.dorneypark.com

3. Shocktoberfest: The Travel Channel calls it "one of the scariest places in America." And Haunt World Magazine says it's one of the top 13 haunted houses in the country. It evens has a "Naked and Scared Challenge," which will have you getting your fright on in your underwear. Other attractions include the Prison of the Dead Escape, the Zombie Experience and The Monster Midway. New this year are the Zombie Paintball Hayride and the Zombie Night Run. Ticket booth is open 6-9 p.m. Oct. 30 and Nov. 2; 6-10 p.m. Oct. 31-Nov. 1 (Also open Nov. 7-9). Tickets: $20-$45. Shocktoberfest, Park Avenue, Sinking Spring, 610-375-7273. http://www.shocktoberfest.com.

4. Terror Behind the Walls: This is a massive — and terrifying — haunted house in the crumbling cellblocks of Eastern State Penitentiary on Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, once the country's most notorious prison. Six attractions include the new Machine Shop, an interactive experience where evil pervades, and the Infirmary, a prison hospital from which there could be no escape. Hours are 7-11 p.m. Oct. 30, 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Oct. 31and Nov. 2 and 6:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Nov. 1. (Also open Nov. 7-8.) Tickets: $19-$39, adv.; $25-$45, at door. Eastern State Penitentiary, 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-763-NITE. http://www.easternstate.org.

5. Field of Screams: This is must-attend for fans of fright. Field of Screams features four attractions — the Haunted Hayride deep into a cold cornfield with chilling characters and horrifying scenes; the Frightmare Asylum and Den of Darkness haunted houses, and the Nocturnal Wasteland, a true trail of error. There's also an entertainment area with food, games and a stage for live music. On Nov. 1 is the 11th annual Field of Screams Idol competition. Ticket booth is open 6-10 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1; 6-9 p.m. Nov. 2. (Also open Nov. 7-9). Tickets: $14-$33 (cash only on site). Field of Screams, 3493 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, 717-285-7748. http://www.fieldofscreams.com.

6. Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride: Run by a guy named Randy Bates, this attraction started with the hayride and expanded with its high-tech-filled haunted house. The hayride goes through the dark forest of Arasapha Farm, located just outside of Philadelphia, and is filled with huge, detailed sets, giant monsters and pyrotechnics. In the Haunted Corn Maze, you'll have to slip past scarecrows, zombies and other evil to find your way out. Hours: 6:30-10:30 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 2. Tickets: $15-$100. Bates Motel, 1835 Middletown Road (Route 352), Glenn Mills, 610-459-0647. http://www.thebatesmotel.com.

Advertisement

7. Haunted Hugh Moore Park: Learn about the ghosts who haunt the canal from Easton to Jim Thorpe on a 40-minute ride on the Josiah White II canal boat, followed by a lantern walk from the National Canal Museum to the old locktender's house, where you'll hear stories about the origin of Halloween and Halloween traditions. There's also not-so-scary apple bobbing and pumpkin carving and a bonfire at the museum. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 30, 31. Tickets: $12; $9, children. National Canal Museum, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton, 610-923-3548. http://www.canals.org.

8. Hotel of Horror: The historic Lake House Hotel in the Pocono Mountains town of Saylorsburg is the site of this state of the art attraction, which includes Zombie's Revenge, Voodoo and Exhibition Macabre, a display about medical experiments. Special Halloween weekend event is the Lights Out Tour 7-11 p.m. Oct. 30 — "just you, the building, and the blackness - no actors." Hours: 7-11 p.m. Oct. 31; 7-10 p.m. Nov. 1. Tickets: $5-$30. Lakehouse Hotel, Route 115 and Cherry Valley Road, Saylorsburg. http://www.hotelofhorror.com.

9. Waldorf Estate of Fear: The Waldorf Hotel in Palmerton hotel has a history of murderous secrets and ghosts. The legend has been re-created in a haunted house full of terrifying rooms in the old Jack River Steakhouse building. A new Infection attraction is an interactive game of survival in a zombie wasteland. You don a belt with three flags representing your vital organs. Your goal is to get out with your organs or become a zombie. There's also a Terror in the Corn Hayride. Hours: 7-11 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Tickets: $15-$30; $5 discount if you come in costume on Halloween. Waldorf Estate of Fear, 6325 Interchange Road, Route 209, 610-82-HOTEL. http://www.waldorfstateoffear.com.

10. Brinton Lodge Haunted House: "Horror in Free Love Valley": The 250-year-old Brinton Lodge is host to spirits that roam its winding hallways, twisting staircases and 28 rooms. Actors will help you get immersed in the stories of two historical events, including a Halloween Ball in the 1930s. It may become impossible to determine what is real and what is supernatural. Hours: 7 p.m.-10 p.m. entry. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Tickets: $19. Brinton Lodge, 1808 W. Schuylkill Road, Douglassville, 610-572-7121. brintonlodge.com.

FAMILY FUN

Fall is a great time of the year for family outings, from pumpkin picking to corn maze exploring and non-scary Halloween fun.

5. Halloween Night Walking Tour: Explore Nazareth's history during a lantern-led tour by a costumed guide. Learn about the early colonial Moravian lifestyle, visit one of the the oldest Moravian buildings in North America, and stop at community buildings to explore important crafts, industries, and personalities. 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Tickets: $7; $5, children, seniors. Whitefield House, 214 E. Center St., Nazareth, 610-759-5070. moravianhistoricalsociety.org.

6. Hersheypark in the Dark: The amusement park does it up for Halloween, with all its thrill rides open, including a dark ride experience on three of the park's roller coasters. Themed entertainment includes Bunsen and the Burners singing Halloween hits and Screaming Mummies, a rockin' band of misfits. Kids 12 and younger can also visit Hershey's Trick-or-Treat Adventure, starting at Hershey's Chocolate World and continuing inside Treatville, HersheyPark's village of sweets and treats. A bonus is visiting creatures of the night at ZooAmerica, more. Hours: 5-10 p.m. Oct. 31, noon-10 p.m. Nov. 1, noon-9 p.m. Nov. 2. Tickets: $23, $34. Hersheypark, 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HER-SHEY. http://www.hersheypark.com.

9. David Lubar Book Reading: The Nazareth young reader and young adult author kicks off the four-day Memorial Library of Nazareth bookfair with a signing event of his popular titles such as "Extremities," a collection of 13 stories that delve into darkness and evil, and his "My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie: Accidental Zombie" series. 4-7 p.m. Nov. 1. Barnes & Noble, 4445 Southmont Way, Easton, 610-515-0376. http://www.barnesandnoble.com.

10. Trick or Treat: Of course. See following list for dates and times in your community.